CM Sackett
07-24-2005, 06:52 AM
I penned the following several years ago, after reading a little work titled, "Grace Is Not A Blue-eyed Blonde".
The truth that His grace has never been about life going "well", but rather about His patient plan of giving all men everywhere opportunity to come to Him ("For God is not slack...) has alternately horrified... and transformed this soldier.
The Interruption of Grace
“…He shall save his people from their sins.”
Mathew 1:21
A Message To Joseph
“This shall be His great business in the world: the great errand on which He is come… to make atonement for, and to destroy sin. To be a door of deliverance from all the power, guilt and pollution of SIN. His business is to be that door of deliverance for ANYONE… who will come.
This, and nothing less than this will be His business in the world. The perfection of the Gospel is, not that it makes allowances for sin… but that it makes atonement for it. Not that it tolerates sin, but that it destroys it in the hearts and lives of men.”
He will also be a mediator between Almighty God… and us ( vs.23 and I Tim. 2:5… see also: T.C.R. #1783). To represent the Almighty to mankind is difficult, but doable. But to stand before God, Himself and successfully represent this frail and tattered humanity… who would even desire such an “impossible” task, but this “God with us”! He will intercede for sinners: Is. 53:12… for the weak: Lk. 22:32… for the enemies of God: Lk. 23:34 (see also: Ex. 23:4 & Prov. 24:17; 25:21-22 & Mt. 5:44 etc.).
This immeasurable task of successfully interceding on mankind’s behalf will not be performed by anonymous letters or untrackable chain of command… but FACE to FACE (Ro. 8:34)! In fact, it is what He will live for (Heb. 7:25)! Through this one, this child, every soul of humanity will have opportunity to find life and healing, forever!
Joseph, all of these tasks will be utterly and completely finished in the child your betrothed now carries. This is the interruption of Grace. It is well known that the plans you have for your life are honorable and good, and, in and of themselves would have been pleasing to God. But it is His good pleasure for all mankind that the plans you have made; those good and pleasing plans be interrupted, be, set aside… so that even more good may come, to you, yours and indeed, all that live on the face of the earth; both now and forever. This is the interruption of GRACE.”
“When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.”
The truth that His grace has never been about life going "well", but rather about His patient plan of giving all men everywhere opportunity to come to Him ("For God is not slack...) has alternately horrified... and transformed this soldier.
The Interruption of Grace
“…He shall save his people from their sins.”
Mathew 1:21
A Message To Joseph
“This shall be His great business in the world: the great errand on which He is come… to make atonement for, and to destroy sin. To be a door of deliverance from all the power, guilt and pollution of SIN. His business is to be that door of deliverance for ANYONE… who will come.
This, and nothing less than this will be His business in the world. The perfection of the Gospel is, not that it makes allowances for sin… but that it makes atonement for it. Not that it tolerates sin, but that it destroys it in the hearts and lives of men.”
He will also be a mediator between Almighty God… and us ( vs.23 and I Tim. 2:5… see also: T.C.R. #1783). To represent the Almighty to mankind is difficult, but doable. But to stand before God, Himself and successfully represent this frail and tattered humanity… who would even desire such an “impossible” task, but this “God with us”! He will intercede for sinners: Is. 53:12… for the weak: Lk. 22:32… for the enemies of God: Lk. 23:34 (see also: Ex. 23:4 & Prov. 24:17; 25:21-22 & Mt. 5:44 etc.).
This immeasurable task of successfully interceding on mankind’s behalf will not be performed by anonymous letters or untrackable chain of command… but FACE to FACE (Ro. 8:34)! In fact, it is what He will live for (Heb. 7:25)! Through this one, this child, every soul of humanity will have opportunity to find life and healing, forever!
Joseph, all of these tasks will be utterly and completely finished in the child your betrothed now carries. This is the interruption of Grace. It is well known that the plans you have for your life are honorable and good, and, in and of themselves would have been pleasing to God. But it is His good pleasure for all mankind that the plans you have made; those good and pleasing plans be interrupted, be, set aside… so that even more good may come, to you, yours and indeed, all that live on the face of the earth; both now and forever. This is the interruption of GRACE.”
“When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.”